Includes Samoa real Gross Domestic Product growth rate, with latest forecasts and historical data, GDP per capita, GDP composition and breakdown by sector.
Browse additional economic indicators and data sets, selected by Global Finance editors, to learn more about Samoa economic outlook, debt to GDP ratio, international trade performance and population trends. Rankings of Samoa best banks and safest banks are also available.
Basic Information
Government Type: Parliamentary republic
Capital City: Apia
GDP & Economic Information
Macroeconomy & Sovereign Data
Central Bank | Central Bank of Samoa |
---|---|
Currency | Tala (SAT) |
International Reserves | USD 0.17 billion (2018) |
Gross Domestic Product – GDP | USD 0.9 billion (2018, estimate) |
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) | Intl$ 1.2 billion (2018, estimate) |
GDP Data
Real GDP growth |
2014: 1.2% 2015: 1.7% 2016: 7.2% 2017*: 2.7% 2018*: 0.7% *Estimate |
---|---|
GDP per capita – current prices | USD 4,318.3 (2018, estimate) |
GDP per capita – PPP | Intl$ 5,889.7 (2018, estimate) |
GDP (PPP) – share of world total |
0.0001% (2019) |
GDP – composition by sector |
agriculture: 10.4% industry: 23.6% services: 66% (2016 estimate) |
Gross domestic expenditure on R&D; (% of GDP) | N/A |
Inflation |
2014: 1.9% 2015: 0.1% 2016: 1.3% 2017*: 3.7% 2018*: 2.9% *Estimate |
Samoa
Inflation & Debt
Inflation |
2014: 1.9% 2015: 0.1% 2016: 1.3% 2017*: 3.7% 2018*: 2.9% *Estimate |
---|---|
Government Bond Ratings |
Standard & Poor’s: N/A Moody’s: N/A Standard & Poor’s / Moody’s (Updated January 2017) |
Unemployment rate |
N/A |
Household saving rates | N/A |
Public debt (General government gross debt as a % of GDP) |
2014: 57.8% 2015: 52.6% 2016: 49.1% 2017*: 50.3% 2018*: 49.3% *Estimate |
Public deficit (General government net lending/borrowing as a % of GDP) |
2014: -3.9% 2015: -0.4% 2016: -1.1% 2017*: 0.1% 2018*: -1.2% *Estimate |
Market value of publicly traded shares | N/A |
Largest Companies | N/A |
Import/Export
Exports as percent of GDP (Exports of goods and services) | 31% (2018) |
---|---|
Shares in world total merchandising export | 0.0002% (2018) |
Shares in world total commercial services export | 0.005% (2017) |
Total exports | USD 281.1 million (2017) |
Export commodities |
Fish, coconut oil and cream, nonu, copra, taro, automotive parts, garments, beer |
Total imports | USD 410.9 million (2017 estimate) |
Import commodities |
Machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs |
Exports – major partners |
Australia 22.9%, NZ 22.8%, American Samoa 22.1%, Afghanistan 14.9%, US 5.9% (2017) |
Imports – major partners | NZ 22%, Singapore 20.7%, US 12.5%, China 10.1%, Australia 8.6%, Fiji 5.2% (2017) |
Competitiveness & Trade
Current account balance | USD 0.0 billion (2018 estimate) |
---|---|
Current account balance by percentage of GDP | 2.3 % (2018 estimate) |
FDI inflows |
2016: USD 2.5 million 2017: USD 9.1 million 2018: USD 16.7 million |
FDI Outflows |
2016: USD 15.3 million 2017: USD 0.1 million 2018: USD 0.0 million |
Value of cross-border M&A, by country of purchaser |
N/A United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) – World Investment Report |
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2014 | N/A |
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2015 | N/A |
Best countries for doing business |
Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm. Overall ranking: 98 out of 190 countries (2019) Subcategories: Starting a Business: 46 out of 190 countries Dealing with Construction Permits: 94 out of 190 countries Getting Electricity: 71 out of 190 countries Registering Property: 68 out of 190 countries Getting Credit: 119 out of 190 countries Protecting Minority Investors: 128 out of 190 countries Paying Taxes: 82 out of 190 countries Trading across Borders: 154 out of 190 countries Enforcing Contracts: 86 out of 190 countries Resolving Insolvency: 140 out of 190 countries |
Global competitiveness ranking | N/A |
Index of Economic Freedom |
Ranking: 82 / Score: 62.2 (Moderately free) (2018) (100=totally free 0=totally repressed) |
Population & Geographic Data
Time Zone |
UTC+13 |
---|---|
Total Area |
2,831 sq km |
Total Population |
1990: N/A 2000: 0.175 million 2010: 0.186 million 2016*: 0.195 million 2021*: 0.202 million *Estimate |
Urban population as % of total population |
1960: 19% 1980: 21% 2000: 22% 2015: 19% |
Population median age | 23.9 years (2016 estimate) |
Population growth rate | 0.59% (2016 estimate) |
Life expectancy | 73.7 years (2016 estimate) |
% of population living on less than $3.10 a day | N/A |
Inequality of wealth distribution (Gini index) | N/A |
Freedom House rating |
Political Rights: 2 Civil Liberties: 2 (2017) (1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating) |
Total telephone subscribers as % of population |
Fixed 5.93% Mobile 62.37% (2015) (fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers) |
Internet users as % of total population | 25.41% (2015) |
Language & Religon
Languages | Samoan (Polynesian) (official), English |
---|---|
Literacy |
Total population: 99% Male: 99.1% Female: 98.8% (2015 est.) (age 15 and over can read and write) |
Religions |
Protestant 57.4% (Congregationalist 31.8%, Methodist 13.7%, Assembly of God 8%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.9%), Roman Catholic 19.4%, Mormon 15.2%, Worship Centre 1.7%, other Christian 5.5%, other 0.7%, none 0.1%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.) |
World Rankings
Population | 0.202 M |
---|---|
Mercer Cost of living index | N/A |
C02 Emissions per capita | 1.3 (2013) |
Global Finance Rankings & Awards: Samoa
Global Finance Magazine holds several conferences and awards ceremonies throughout the year to recognize the winning financial institutions and companies in a host of categories including World’s Best Trade Finance Banks, World's Biggest Banks, World's Safest Banks, World's Best Developed & Emerging Markets Banks, World's Best Internet Banks, and World’s Best Investment Banks.
Data Sources:
IMF World Economic Outlook
UN World Population Prospects
World Inequality Report
S&P Global Ratings
Moody’s
Fitch Ratings
IMF Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS)
UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
CIA The World Factbook
World Bank’s World Integrated Trade Solution
Forbes Global 2000